The line between smart-phones, phablets and tablets is slowly merging with companies aggressively entering the tablet foray. Though iPad still holds over 50 percent of the market share in this portable, touchscreen, mini-computer segment the iPad comes at a price. While initially tablet makers looked at providing stiff competition to Apple, the competition is now greater in the lower end segment with tablets being produced for the common man.

While Acer officially announced the cheaply priced Iconia B-1 A71 during the CES week, Asus too is not far off. The company announced their ‘dirt-cheap’ tablet MeMO Pad ME172 V. The MeMO Pad comes with a 7-inch screen and operates on the Android ver. 4.1 Jelly Bean. The tablet comes with 8 GB or 16 GB internal memory with a MicroSD slot for up to 32 GB expandable memory. To cut on the price, the tablet is powered by a basic VIA WM8950 1 GHz processor. Strangely, Asus has provided no back camera but a 1MP front camera.

In the cut-throat tablet market, we hope the low on specs and price tablet manages to fare well and does not lag too much. The tablet is priced at 149 dollars and is expected to be available next month onwards.